


His petite étoile

by WhiskyNotTea



Series: Whisky's Other Outlander Tales [12]
Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 22:36:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17394977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiskyNotTea/pseuds/WhiskyNotTea
Summary: With Milady gone and Milord hiding in a cave Fergus takes it upon himself to take care of Faith.





	His petite étoile

Fergus walked out the front door, the sweet summer air filling his nostrils. He took a deep breath and descended the stone steps, his feet light, quiet. He was tired, but it was still early and he couldn’t sleep with all the noise in the house. He had just plopped down on the hard stone when his gaze fell on her. He hadn’t seen her leaving the kitchen. **  
**

Faith was standing at the far end of the yard, her little white dress fluttering in the wind, her red hair almost black in the absence of light.

He shook his head at the sight of her, a sad smile pressing his lips together.

“Ma petite rouge?” His voice was soft as he approached, careful not to startle her.

“Is Da coming?” she asked directly, hope blooming in her voice as she turned to look at him.  Her eyes shone in the scarce light reaching them from the house windows - cat-like, intense. She hadn’t managed to look intimidating as her father did, not yet. Her slanted blue eyes were wide open, pleading for an answer. Longing for the confirmation of her wish.

“No, not yet, Faith. He was here last week, remember?” Fergus crouched next to her, tucking a curl behind her ear. So like Milady’s curls. Fierce, unyielding.

“Is he come uh-morrow?” she asked, and he chuckled even though he didn’t mean to.

“He will come soon.” Her face darkened. “I promise.”

Faith nodded, looking him straight in the eye with a trust that broke his heart. She was growing up so fast - too fast. He wished Milord could be there every day to see her, to cherish every little moment with her. How she mimicked Maggie’s moves when they danced in the parlour listening to the music inside their heads, how she delighted in feeding her auntie’s chickens, how she grimaced every time she saw only tatties on her plate but never complained. She was getting taller every month, even malnourished as she was. But she was thin, so thin that Fergus thought he might break her if he wasn’t careful enough.

Faith had turned her back at him again, looking towards the hill - towards the cave. Waiting.

“You know, Faith,” Fergus said in an attempt to distract her, sitting down on the dirt and pulling her to him, “I’m sure your Da is looking at the sky right now.”

“He is?”

“Oui! And he sees all the stars, shining like gemstones on a velvet dress. Look!” he said and pointed at the brightest star. “That’s Arcturus. And do you see the three stars on its left? These are Altair, Deneb, and Vega.”

He had doubted only for a moment as he pronounced the names, and felt proud that he still remembered them correctly. It had been more than three years ago when Milord had taught him how to read the night sky in France. They had been at the house, one of the rare occasions Milord hadn’t gone to Madam Elise’s. Milady was sitting on the couch behind them with Faith still in her belly. Now Faith was more than three feet tall, listening to him, looking at the sky with wonder and awe. Fergus felt worthy, sharing this knowledge with her now that Milord was away and couldn’t guide her through the stars himself.

It was Fergus’ job to take care of her.

Faith kept silent, looking at the stars, narrowing her eyes as she focused on them. “Mam, Da and Faith!” she exclaimed at last, a tiny finger pointing at the three stars.

Fergus felt his breath hitch in his throat. He swallowed with difficulty, unshed tears blocking the way.

The three brightest stars of Aquila, Cygnus, and Lyra. Yes, they had been that. All three of them, shining their shimmering light on his dark sky. First Milord, the first person to really care for him. Then, Milady, hugging him close when he’d been afraid, her herbal scent a promise of safety, of love. And now, this little star in his arms, pure and innocent, full of hope and dreams.

His arms tightened around her and Fergus placed a tender kiss between the burning red hair.

“Oui, ma petite. You’re all there, see?”

“Mam goed to the sky,” she murmured, eyes fixed on Vega. “And Fergus?” she asked then, her bottom lip on its way to a pout.

“Oh.” He paused, taken by surprise. “There,” he said a while later. “See that star just above Altair? That’s me, Faith. Close to you, to keep you safe.”

She turned around and kissed his cheek. “Mam looking at me?” she asked, at last.

“She does,” Fergus replied, his heart clenching inside his chest. “She’s looking at you, and me, and at your Da. Every night. She’d never leave us alone.”

And it was then that he remembered Milady, murmuring a poem he had never heard before, while Milord had been telling him about Altair. She had smiled to herself, a hand drawing circles on her swollen belly.

“Three of them walk together  
She is the fairest of three;  
And sweet as the heavenly weather  
She maketh the heart of me!”

Fergus took the fairest of the three in his arms, kissed her ruddy cheek, and walked her inside the house and then to her bed, making sure she could see the night sky until sleep would claim her.


End file.
